The stylistic mixing of Smooth & Standard -- current trend

I don't know if a spectator's emotional reaction is necessarily a good criteria for labeling something "Smooth" or not. I feel more of an emotional reaction too, and feel more of a connection between, some Standard couples - even beyond some Smooth couples... does that make their dancing more "Smooth"? I don't think so; it just variation in the expression of the dance.

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For me, too much emotion when dancing Smooth in a more formal/controlled Standard style looks out of place. Makes me uncomfortable to watch it because it seems divorced from what the dancer is actually experiencing/embodying. Tends to look a bit...pained, or garish.

Whereas for me, good Smooth seems to enable the dancer to naturally embody over-the-top emotion...one of the things I love so much about it.

I don't know if a spectator's emotional reaction is necessarily a good criteria for labeling something "Smooth" or not. I feel more of an emotional reaction too, and feel more of a connection between, some Standard couples - even beyond some Smooth couples... does that make their dancing more "Smooth"? I don't think so; it just variation in the expression of the dance.

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It may not be worth trying to clarify, but here I go anyway!

dbk, to be clear, in my first post I was trying to say that I Slawek and Marzena never seemed to catch my attention as much as some others BECAUSE, for me, I always felt there was a lot of standard in what they were doing. Then I felt the need to clarify that I still think they're amazing dancers, just not my favorite based on how I've always seen their dancing and the impact it has or doesn't have on me.

Having said all that, I agree with whoever said that what I think is fantastic is the liberty the top smooth pros have to interpret smooth as they feel it...and I really enjoy seeing how different everyone's style is.